1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a lever switch assembly which integrally includes both angle adjusting mechanisms for respectively imparting angular adjustments to rotations of an operating lever in a first direction and a second direction.
2. Related Art
Heretofore, as a lever switch assembly for vehicles, for example, there has been provided an assembly so constructed as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
In the conventional structure, a case 1 includes a first unit case 1a positioned in the upper part of the drawings and a second unit case 1b positioned in the lower part of the drawings and connected to the first unit case 1a. The first unit case 1a is provided with a bracket 2 so as to rotate around a first pivotal shaft 3 in a direction perpendicular to a vertical direction in the drawings where the unit cases 1a and 1b are fastened together (in a direction as shown by arrows A1, A2 in FIG. 7).
The bracket 2 is provided with a hollow operating lever 4 so as to rotate around a second pivotal shaft 5 in a direction where the unit cases 1a, 1b are fastened (in a direction as shown by arrows B1, B2 respectively in FIGS. 6 and 7). This operating lever 4 is so adapted as to rotate also in the direction as shown by the arrows A1, A2 together with the bracket 2.
An operating shaft 6 is inserted into the operating lever 4 rotatably around its own axis (in a direction as shown by arrows C1, C2 in FIG. 6). The operating shaft 6 is so adapted as to be rotatably operated by means of an operating button 6a (Refer to FIG. 7) fitted to its tip end at an opposite side to the case 1 (remote from the case 1).
At one end of the operating lever 4 located inside the first unit case 1a is provided an angle adjusting piece 7 which is outwardly forced by a spring 8. A first angle adjusting face 9 and a second angle adjusting face 10 are formed inside the first unit case 1a so as to mate with the angle adjusting piece 7. The first angle adjusting face 9 is so adapted as to contact the angle adjusting piece 7 when the operating lever 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrows A1, A2 to give an angular adjustment to the rotation of the operating lever 4 in the direction of the arrows A1, A2, and is corrugated having concave portions and convex portions in the direction of the arrows A1, A2 (in a direction perpendicular to a paper face in FIG. 6).
The second adjusting face 10 is so adapted as to contact the angle adjusting piece 7 when the operating lever 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrows B1, B2 to give an angular adjustment to the rotation of the operating lever 4 in the direction of the arrows B1, B2, and is corrugated having concave portions and convex portions in the direction of the arrows B1, B2 (in a vertical direction in FIG. 6).
The operating lever 4 is further provided with rocking projections 11 which project from both sides at its one end located inside the first unit case 1a. The operating shaft 6 is provided with a rocking projection 12 which projects downwardly at its one end located inside the first unit case 1a.
On an upper face of the bracket 2 in FIG. 6 are arranged various components which compose a lever canceling mechanism 13. This lever canceling mechanism 13 is so adapted as to restore the operating lever 4 which has been rotated in the direction of the arrows A1, A2 and held by the first angle adjusting face 9, by means of a rotary restoring operation of a steering wheel which is not shown. The lever canceling mechanism 13 includes the various components, such as a ratchet 14, a spring 15 for urging the ratchet 14 toward the steering wheel, a back plate 16 with which the ratchet 14 engages at the restoration, a spring 17 for resiliently holding the back plate 16, etc.
On the other hand, the second unit case 1b is provided with a wiring board 18 at its back face. Between the wiring board 18 and the second unit case 1b are provided a first contact holder 19 and a second contact holder 20 in a slidable manner. The first contact holder 19 is movable in the same direction (in a direction as shown by arrows D1, D2 in FIG. 7) as the rotation direction A1, A2 of the operating lever 4 and also movable in a direction perpendicular (in a direction as shown by arrows E1, E2 in FIG. 7) to the direction A1, A2. The second contact holder 20 is movable in a direction perpendicular (in a direction as shown by arrows F1, F2 in FIG. 7) to the moving direction E1, E2 of the first contact holder 19.
Moreover, the first contact holder 19 and the wiring board 18 constitute a first switch 21 and a second switch 22 therebetween. On the back face of the first contact holder 19 is attached a movable contact 23 which is common for both the first and second switches 21, 22. On the wiring board 18 are provided a fixed contact (not shown) for the first switch 21 which the movable contact 23 is engaged with and disengaged from along with the movement of the contact holder 19 in the direction of the arrows D1, D2, and a fixed contact (also not shown) for the second switch 22 which the movable contact 23 is engaged with and disengaged from along with the movement of the contact holder 19 in the direction of the arrows E1, E2.
The second contact holder 20 and the wiring board 18 constitute a third switch 24 therebetween. On the back face of the second contact holder 20 is attached a movable contact 25 for the third switch 24. On the wiring board 18 are provided a fixed contact (also not shown) for the third switch 24 which the movable contact 25 is engaged with and disengaged from along with the movement of the contact holder 20 in the direction of the arrows F1, F2.
In this state, the second unit case 1b is fastened to the first unit case 1a. On this occasion, a face 26 of the second unit case 1b adjacent to the first unit case 1a (an upper face in FIG. 6) is made contact with a projection 2a which is formed at a tip end of the bracket 2 located in the first unit case 1a thereby to press and hold the bracket 2.
The first contact holder 19 has a pair of arm portions 19a (only one is shown) which project out of the second unit case 1b (into the first unit case 1a). Between the arm portions 19a is positioned the end of the operating lever 4 located inside the first unit case 1a, while the rocking projections 11 are slidably inserted into diagonal grooves 27 which are formed at respective inner faces of the arm portions 19a.
The second contact holder 20 also has a pair of arm portions 20a (only one is shown) which project out of the second unit case 1b (into the first unit case 1a). Between the arm portions 20a is positioned a rocking projection 12 of the operating shaft 6 in a slidable manner. The back face of the wiring board 18 is protected with a cover 28.
With the above described arrangement, when the operating lever 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrows A1, A2, one end of the operating lever 4 located inside the first unit case 1a presses the arm portions 19a of the first contact holder 19 in the direction of the arrows D1, D2, thereby to move the first contact holder 19 in the direction of the arrows D1, D2 together with the movable contact 23. Then, the first switch 21 responds to give a turn signal, for example.
On this occasion, the projection 2a at the tip end of the bracket 2 located in the first unit case 1a slides along the face 26 of the second unit case 1b adjacent to the first unit case 1a. Rotary positions of the operating lever 4 rotated in the directions of the arrows A1 and A2, and the neutral position are maintained by the first angle adjusting face 9 in engagement with the angle adjusting piece 7.
When the operating lever 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrows B1, B2, the rocking projections 11 are caused to engage with the grooves 27 to press the first contact holder 19 in the direction of the arrows E1, E2 thereby to move the first contact holder 19 in the direction of the arrows E1, E2 together with the movable contact 23. Then, the second switch 22 responds to conduct a dimmer control, for example. The operating lever 4 is so constructed as to be automatically returned to the initial position when the rotary operation in the direction of the arrow B1 is released. The initial position is maintained by the second angle adjusting face 10 in engagement with the angle adjusting piece 7.
When the operating shaft 6 is rotated in the direction of the arrows C1, C2, the rocking projection 12 presses the arm portions 20a of the second contact holder 20 in the direction of the arrows F1, F2 thereby to move the second contact holder 20 in the direction of the arrows F1, F2 together with the movable contact 23. Then, the third switch 24 responds to conduct a light control, for example. The operating shaft 6 takes three rotary positions in the direction of the arrows C1, C2, namely an off position, a small lamp lighting position, and a head lamp lighting position. These three positions are maintained by an angle adjusting mechanism which is not shown.
In the above described conventional arrangement, both the first angle adjusting face 9 for imparting the angular adjustment to the rotation of the operating lever 4 in the direction of the arrows A1, A2 and the second angle adjusting face 10 for imparting the angular adjustment to the rotation of the operating lever 4 in the directions of the arrows B1, B2 are provided together in the first unit case 1a. In short, both the angle adjusting faces 9, 10 for imparting the angular adjustments to the rotations of the operating lever 4 respectively in the directions of the arrows A1, A2 and the arrows B1, B2 with which the angle adjusting piece 7 commonly engages are integrally formed.
Therefore, it is advantageous with this arrangement that the number of the components to be used can be decreased and the number of assembling steps can be also reduced. However, because the second angle adjusting face 10 is located closer to the second unit case 1b than the first angle adjusting face 9, an overall thickness in this direction tends to be larger. In addition, the various components of the lever canceling mechanism 13 are arranged on the bracket 2 at a side remote from the second unit case 1b, which makes the total thickness much larger.
At a previous step before the second unit case 1b is mounted, the bracket 2 is not prevented from separating from the first unit case 1a toward the second unit case 1b (remotely from the first unit case 1a) as shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, the bracket 2 is likely to be disengaged from the first unit case 1a as shown in FIG. 9. Thus, it has been a problem that the assembling of the second unit case 1b cannot be conducted easily, because this must be done with careful attention to the unstable engagement of the bracket 2 with the first unit case 1a.